A Lady Ashmo Adventure

reading list

Welcome to the first edition of Lady Ashmo’s “you gotta read this!” List. As you may have noticed from random comments I make, I work in a bookstore. This puts me in a position to notice and read a variety of interesting books. Lately there have been some titles I found especially noteworthy, and the idea came to me to share them with you. So I will post a list each time I have read 5 books that I found exceptionally worthy of sharing.

Born a Crime

I have been a fan of comedian Trevor Noah for some time. His stand up routines are must-see Netflix material. I am not much of a biography reader, but being a fan of his I decided to pick it up. I was not disappointed! He tells the story of his rather difficult childhood in a cleverly lighthearted way. Growing up in a place where his existence was against the law, Noah somehow manages to tell this difficult tale with a sense of humor. It is no wonder he has achieved such success- his talents are noteworthy. This is my #1 recommendation to anyone who asks if I’ve read any good books lately.

1 out of 10 Doctors Recommends

All right,so the idea of reading a book about doctors telling you to drink urine sounds gross. It is. But the three authors of this book have put together a list of fascinating things from the strangest reaches of medicine and managed to put a funny (and super nerdy) spin on it. Don’t worry, they aren’t the 1 cooky doc recommending this stuff, they’re just telling us about it. A bonus to how this book is laid out, it is a perfect read if you only have snatches of time between coming and going in your busy day. Each item on the weird list is a short essay, so you can read cover to cover or 5 minutes at a time.

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

This book is about a Yemeni girl who was married off entirely too young (in my and many other people’s opinions) to a much older man, told in her own words. This little girl’s story broke my heart, but also touched me because of how strong and brave she is. Her story is an insight into the culture of her part of the world, and (in my opinion) why feminism continues to be important today. I recommend this book, not as light reading-though it is a relatively quick read- but as a significant point of understanding of the struggles that are a reality for so many women and you girls today.

We Should All Be Feminists

The title pretty much says it all, and given my previous recommendation I’m sure you understand why this little book made my list. I read it in about ten minutes- but that’s all you need to understand the powerful message Adichie is making (also it is a very small book). I recommend reading it and passing it on. Everyone should read it.

Barbara the Slut

This collection of short stories has something interesting to say about society, and being human. There were several points in this collection where I set it down and really thought about the people Holmes wrote about- what it might be like to know them. Her characters are that real. She is a wonderfully talented writer, and this is a wonderfully thoughtful collection.

That’s my five for this time. When I have accumulated another 5 I’m dying to tell everyone about, I will compose another list.